cursory — hasty and therefore not thorough or detailed
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: hasty and therefore not thorough or detailed
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈkɜːrsəri/
Example Sentences
- The teacher's cursory check of homework meant half the class got away with copying from Wikipedia.
- His cursory attempt at cooking resulted in smoke alarms and a pizza delivery order.
- The security guard gave only a cursory scan of the building before leaving.
cursory
ADJECTIVE[/ˈkɜːrsəri/]
hasty and therefore not thorough or detailed
While the first inspector checked every single line with a magnifying glass, the lazy manager gave the thick report only a cursory glance before throwing it away.
CURS(run) + ORY(adjective) — choosing to CURS(run) past the details, the lazy guard only did a cursory inspection of the bags.
Thinking the tie was just an optional accessory, he gave it a cursory glance, but the angry principal shouted it was absolutely compulsory.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Latin 'cursorius' meaning 'of or for running,' derived from 'cursus' (a running, course). The word entered English in the 16th century, originally describing something done in haste like a quick run.
Breakdown
curs- (from Latin cursus, running) + -ory (adjective suffix meaning 'of or relating to') = cursory (relating to a quick running over, hence hasty and superficial)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The teacher's cursory check of homework meant half the class got away with copying from Wikipedia.”
“His cursory attempt at cooking resulted in smoke alarms and a pizza delivery order.”
“The security guard gave only a cursory scan of the building before leaving.”
“After a cursory investigation, police realized they had arrested the wrong mime artist.”
📚Related Words
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